5 Terrible Gifts For New Girlfriends

The wrong gift can quickly make your new girlfriend your old girlfriend. So we asked a woman to give us a crash course on gift-giving for new relationships.

By Anna Davies

Buying gifts for new girlfriends can be tricky. But it’s the thought that counts, right? Well, as you’re well aware by now, women are all about the subtext. So in the beginning of a new relationship, while you might think you’re about to give us the greatest gift you could possibly find on the clearance rack, there’s a Pandora’s box of mixed messages that’s hidden under what you hand over to us.

So before you slap your credit card down when you you want to buy your new girlfriend a present, steer clear of misunderstandings by following our woman-approved list of what to avoid — and what you should spring for instead.

#1. JEWELRY
Too cheap and she’s insulted and thinks you don’t like us enough. Too expensive and she’s wondering if an engagement ring will be coming out with dessert. And that’s not even getting into the reality that a woman’s taste in jewelry is rather complex. You see pretty, we see gold, big, clunky, and totally not our style — which makes us think you don’t understand us at all. Read: Not the gift you want kicking off a new relationship.

GET THIS INSTEAD: A BOOKNo, really. I may be sentimental, but I’m not the only woman who says she’d feel incredibly psyched to get a book from a guy she was dating. I’m not talking the latest Dan Brown or Tucker Max, but a book that means a lot to you, complete with a thoughtful cover inscription, will go a long way with us.